INSTALLATION OF RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICES IN RESIDENTIAL

EnergySafety
INSTALLATION OF RESIDUAL CURRENT
DEVICES IN RESIDENTIAL PREMISES
OFFERED FOR SALE OR LEASE
Position Paper
October 2008
Foreword
EnergySafety, a division of the Department of Consumer and Employment
Protection, is the State’s technical and safety regulator for the energy industry.
The electrical contracting industry in Western Australia is regulated by the
Electricity Act 1945, which is administered by EnergySafety. The prime
objective is the safety of people and property.
The standards to be followed by persons working in the electricity industry are
set out in the Electricity Regulations 1947, which refer particularly to AS/NZS
3000 – Wiring Rules and the Western Australian Electricity Requirements
(WAER).
EnergySafety has determined from analysis of electrical incidents that
occurred over the last 16 years that 31 of 36 fatalities in non-workplace
locations could have been prevented if a residual current device (RCD, also
known as a safety switch) had been installed to protect the electrical wiring
and appliances involved in the incident.
Additionally, as Western Australia’s housing stock ages, pre-1960s homes
especially have question marks about the safety of their wiring systems,
raising electric shock and fire concerns.
From 1991 the Wiring Rules that apply to all of Australia and New Zealand
have required the installation of at least one RCD to protect the power circuits
in residential premises. In 2000 the WAER extended this requirement to the
lighting circuits also. The new Wiring Rules released in late 2007 now require
the installation of at least two RCDs protecting the power and lighting circuits.
This Position Paper details EnergySafety’s proposal to extend the requirement
for at least two RCDs in residential premises to those properties constructed
prior to 2000. The RCDs are to be installed when certain events set out in the
Position Paper occur.
EnergySafety believes this initiative is very much in the interests of the
community, from both a safety and consumer protection perspective.
EnergySafety welcomes comments from stakeholders and the public, which
may be sent in accordance with the information set out in clause 5.
KEN BOWRON
DIRECTOR OF ENERGY SAFETY
1 October 2008
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1. INTRODUCTION
This Position Paper details an initiative proposed by EnergySafety for the installation
of at least two Residual Current Devices (RCDs) in residential buildings at or before
the sale of the property, for owner occupied dwellings, or within two years of gazettal
of the relevant regulations, for rented or leased dwellings.
Four options are presented and the preferred option is identified.
Stakeholders and the public are invited to comment on the proposal, which has
consumer protection, occupier safety and tradesperson safety connotations.
2. BACKGROUND
RCDs (also known as safety switches) disconnect electricity when a harmful level of
electrical current is detected flowing to earth. This flow of electricity indicates a
failure of insulation, or contact with live parts by a person, or both. These devices
therefore provide high levels of personal protection from electric shock and also
reduce the risk of fire from defective wiring or appliances. The normal household
fuses and circuit breakers do not operate during an electric shock event because the
current involved is too small in most cases.
RCDs became a mandatory requirement in new dwellings from:
• 1992 (nationally): socket outlet (power) circuits; and
• 2000 (WA only): socket outlet and lighting circuits using at least two RCDs.
The inclusion of lighting circuits in WA followed serious accidents where
householders and tradespersons contacted live parts, often while working in the
ceiling/roof spaces of premises. A number of people were electrocuted. Since then,
other jurisdictions have agreed this should become national practice through the new
edition of the Wiring Rules (AS/NZS 3000) published late in 2007.
The requirement for the fitting of RCDs did not extend to existing WA residences,
only to new ones. This is of concern because less than 25% of pre 2000 dwellings
are estimated to have been voluntarily fitted with RCDs, and then only for power
circuits. The ceiling spaces of older dwellings (where both power and lighting circuits
typically run), are of particular concern because:
• Pre-1960 homes are mostly wired with VIR (Vulcanised India Rubber)
insulated cables, a known safety risk since the late 1980s. In hot ceiling
spaces such insulation becomes brittle over time, and falls or is easily
brushed off exposing live wires.
• Poor wiring installation practices in WA, prior to the mid-1980s, allowed
cabling joints in accessible locations to be made without the need for them to
be properly enclosed. As joint insulation deteriorates over time, these joints
now present a serious potential shock risk to persons (including
tradespersons) entering ceiling/roof spaces, as they often forget to first turn
off the power supply.
Protecting lighting and power circuits of all dwellings with two RCDs at the main
switchboard (to provide less risk of all lights and power outlets tripping off
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simultaneously) overcomes these problems and also safeguards persons using
electrical appliances.
For many years EnergySafety promoted retrofitting RCDs into pre-1992 dwellings.
During the late 1990s a major publicity campaign, including TV advertisements,
achieved only limited success. Although the cost of installation is modest and
householders recognise the benefits of RCDs, householders are reluctant to give
RCDs priority over their other expenditures such as cars, TVs and Hi-Fi equipment.
This was concluded on the basis of a consumer survey.
It was previously determined that government should set an example by installing
hardwired smoke alarms and RCDs in its stock of public housing before requiring the
general public to do likewise.
In February 2003 (when EnergySafety reported to the Minister for Energy), a joint
Minister for Energy and Minister for Consumer & Employment Protection draft
Cabinet Submission was prepared to:
• require the installation of RCDs in dwellings, if not already installed, as a
condition for the sale of properties (a concept already employed in some
other parts of Australia); and
• require rental property owners to provide RCD protection, within a 3 year
period.
During the preparation of the Submission the Department of Housing and Works
commented that the cost to make HomesWest dwellings comply was $7m and as a
result the draft Cabinet Submission did not proceed at that time.
Since then the Department of Housing and Works received funding to complete the
process of installing RCDs in all HomesWest metropolitan and regional dwellings by:
• 30 June 2006 – metropolitan dwellings;
• 30 June 2007 – regional dwellings.
The installation of smoke alarms in HomesWest dwellings is now complete.
On 23 February 2000 a child aged 4 years was electrocuted in a bath. The Deputy
State Coroner in her finding issued following the Inquest into the death determined
that the cause was a faulty extension cord that allowed intermittent connection
between the active and earth conductors. One of the seven recommendations of the
Deputy State Coroner was that “consideration be given to a program to achieve the
retrofitting of residual current devices to properties built prior to 1991. One option
would be to require they be installed in the event of sale or exposure of the property
for rental purposes”. This proposal addresses the Coroner’s recommendation.
Residents continue to sustain electrical accidents, some fatal, from electrical
installations without RCD protection. It is estimated that of the 36 non-workplace
fatalities over the last 16 years, 31 would have been prevented if an RCD had been
installed. Examples of such fatalities are:
• On 14 May 2005 in an old dwelling in Floreat, deteriorated original wiring (that
had become defective) and unsafe wiring associated with an earlier extension
contributed to the electrocution of a person connecting a gas heater to a gas
bayonet; and
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• On 23 October 2006 in a dwelling in Innaloo an electrician installing socket
outlets and an oven was electrocuted when he came in contact with live
conductors in the roof space.
Homes built between 1992 and 2000 would require a lesser expenditure as only one
additional RCD needs to be fitted.
There is the possibility that the retrofitting of RCDs into pre 1960s premises may
cause some “nuisance tripping” of parts of the installation. In fact it is not “nuisance
tripping” but a safety alert that indicates, in the interest of safety and consumer
(purchaser) protection, the vendor needs to have those parts of the installation
rewired, to rid the installation of a serious safety defect. In other words this should
not be seen negatively, but positively.
3. OPTIONS
There are a number of options to be considered with regard to this matter and they
are described below.
Option 1: Status quo.
EnergySafety to continue its present policy to raise awareness of
homeowners and landlords regarding the potential hazards that may exist in
their electrical installations and the relatively inexpensive solution that is
available to remove these hazards by installing RCDs.
Significant funds have already been spent with disappointing results. It is
considered that a continuation of this policy as the primary and sole activity
will not achieve a result different from that already achieved and that lives will
continue to be needlessly lost due to electrocution of occupiers and
tradespersons.
Option 2: Require all residential premises to be fitted with at least two RCDs within a
defined period.
This option requires legislation that obliges homeowners and landlords to
install at least two RCDs in their premises within a timescale defined in the
legislation (say five years).
Whilst the concept behind this option achieves the desired end result its
execution is problematic. There is no incentive for the installation of the
RCDs to occur. It is likely that most homeowners and landlords who are
inclined to install the devices will wait until the end of the defined period at
which time there will be pressure on the availability of Electrical Contractors
who will not be able to perform the volume of work within the time remaining.
The likely result is that the work will not proceed or will be attempted by
unlicensed persons with possible deadly results, the opposite of the intention
of the initiative.
There is also the difficulty of determining if the equipment has been installed.
This would require a massive inspection program and is considered
unreasonable and unachievable.
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Option 3: Require all residential premises to be fitted with at least two RCDs within a
defined period after sale of the property.
Since 2002, in Queensland, purchasers of domestic residences must install
an RCD within three months of the property transfer, a property sale being
considered in that State as the best time for triggering RCD installations into
older dwellings.
Compliance in Queensland is only about 70%, which is considered
unsatisfactory. Other States/Territories are considering options to retrofit
installations with RCDs, with most favouring the property vendor obligation.
The cost of installing the RCDs under this option falls on the purchaser who
has already been subject to a significant number of costs relating to the
purchase of the premises and its furnishing and may be reluctant to incur
expenditure on RCD installation in preference to other items deemed
necessary to daily living.
As with option 2 there is difficulty in determining if the equipment has been
installed which would require a significant inspection program.
The other matter is that neither owner-occupied nor tenanted premises need
be fitted with RCDs until they are sold, an undefinable period of time.
Option 4: Require all owner-occupied residential premises to be fitted with at least
two RCDs on or before the transfer of the land title and all premises subject to the
Residential Tenancies Act 1987 to be so fitted within a defined period.
This option requires legislation that:
• Obliges the owner of a residential premises to have at least two RCDs
installed, in accordance with the Wiring Rules, prior to the transfer of
the land title;
• Obliges the owner of a residential premises that is leased, rented or
hired to have at least two RCDs installed, in accordance with the
Wiring Rules:
o prior to the transfer of the land title (where the property is being
sold); or
o prior to entering into an tenancy agreement with a new tenant;
or
o prior to making the premises available for rent, lease or hire for
the first time; or
o in any case, within 24 months of the legislation coming into
force.
The legislation mainly affects residential premises constructed before 1991
but has some effect on those constructed between 1992 and 2000 in that only
one additional RCD is required.
The legislation is structured so that within two years the occupiers of tenanted
premises and short-stay accommodation and tradespersons working in such
buildings will be protected from electric shock by RCDs. This will assist the
owners of such premises to meet their duty of care responsibilities. The
relatively low expenditure involved to install the RCDs may be recovered in
the rent and hire charges.
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In the case of owner occupied premises there is no defined time period for the
installation of RCDs. However, as the average time between sales of
residential premises is about seven years a significant number of dwellings
will have RCDs installed within the first 10 years after the legislation comes
into force. The relatively low expenditure involved to install the RCDs may be
recovered through the proceeds from the sale of the dwelling. The extended
time period means that the resource requirements placed on the electrical
contracting industry will be minimised.
EnergySafety will continue to remind homeowners of the need to install RCDs
to protect themselves, their family and tradespersons working on the property.
In future informed tradespersons may refuse to work on a property that does
not have RCD protection due to safety and liability concerns.
The legislation also places obligations on the owners of non-strata multi-unit
buildings and the bodies corporate of strata unit buildings regarding RCD
protection for the house services circuits and common property circuits.
Compliance with the legislation will be achieved by a number of mechanisms.
Landlords are obliged under the Residential Tenancies Act 1987 to comply
with all relevant legislation, which would include this legislation when it comes
into force. EnergySafety inspectors and network operator inspectors will
undertake sample audits of rented properties to determine the level of
compliance after expiry of the two year transition period. Homeowners will be
subject to conditions of sale imposed by potential purchasers who have been
made aware of the RCD requirement by the public education program that will
be instigated by EnergySafety through various publications and other media.
EnergySafety inspectors and network operator inspectors will undertake
sample audits of sold properties to determine the level of compliance. It is
intended to approach the Real Estate Institute of Western Australia regarding
changes to their Offer for Sale and Acceptance form so that the requirement
for the RCDs becomes a standard condition of sale.
4. CONCLUSION
Options 1, 2, and 3 only partly address the requirement for the installation of RCD
protection in all residential premises and have significant shortcomings in achieving
the required result, being as close to 100% compliance within a reasonable period of
time.
Option 4 achieves maximum compliance in leased, rented and short-stay premises
within 24 months and will achieve satisfactory compliance in owner occupied
premises within 10 years or so after the legislation comes into force and has a built-in
compliance mechanism.
EnergySafety therefore believes that Option 4 should be implemented in accordance
with the draft regulations available on its website at www.energysafety.wa.gov.au.
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5. COMMENTS
Comments are invited on the proposal outlined above from electrical and real estate
industry stakeholders and the general public. Such comments may be sent by mail,
fax or email, addressed as set out below so as to be received by 28 November 2008.
By mail:
RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICES – PUBLIC CONSULTATION
Principal Engineer, Electricity Utilisation
ENERGYSAFETY
PO Box 135
CANNINGTON WA 6987
By facsimile:
Ph: 9422 5244
To: Principal Engineer, Electricity Utilisation
Subject: RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICES – PUBLIC CONSULTATION
By email:
energysafety@docep.wa.gov.au
Subject: RESIDUAL CURRENT DEVICES – PUBLIC CONSULTATION
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